The Pacific Northwest Node of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) is delighted to announce that in March 2018, Dr. Mary Hatch-Maillette was named Co-Director of the Pacific Northwest Node. Having joined the University of Washington’s Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute in 2003 to work on CTN-0018, Safer Sex for Men, she has since held a variety of local and national roles in seven additional CTN protocols and two platform studies, including the BEing Safe in Treatment (BEST) study. In addition, she maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Seattle. Her primary research interests are in substance use treatment and HIV risk behavior.

Now one of the longest-serving members of the Pacific Northwest Node and a CTN “veteran,” Dr. Hatch-Maillette has co-authored 45 papers, posters, and presentations for the CTN. She is excited to join the CTN leadership and continue the PNW Node’s tradition of blending science and practice in the treatment of substance use disorders.

SAMHSA’s new Treatment Improvement Protocol 63, “Medications for Opioid Use Disorder,” helps behavioral healthcare professionals broaden their understanding of the three FDA-approved medications—methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine—used to help treat Americans with opioid use disorder, as well as the other strategies and services needed to support recovery for people with opioid use disorder.

TIP 63 had significant input from researchers, clinicians, and information specialists affiliated with the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute and the Pacific NW Node of NIDA's Clinical Trials Network (CTN). Ron Jackson, MSW, LICSW and Andrew Saxon, MD served on the Expert Panel to help develop the TIP via a consensus-driven, collaborative process that blends evidence-based, best, and promising practices with the panel’s expertise and combined wealth of experience.

In addition, field reviewers for this TIP included Meg Brunner, MLIS from ADAI and the CTN Dissemination Library, Alison Newman, MPH (ADAI) and Mary Catlin, RN, MPH, CIC, (DOH and ADAI). The field review allows people who work in addiction, mental health, and adjacent fields to gauge the TIP’s relevance, utility, accuracy, and accessibility.

In partnership with two American Indian tribes in the Pacific Northwest, the University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute will begin a new study to address critical barriers to implementation of medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) in tribal communities.

MAT approaches have been shown to substantially improve outcomes for OUD patients, yet provider and patient biases against MAT and organizational barriers to MAT use are widespread, particularly within tribal communities where there is a strong preference toward total abstinence as a goal.

The study aim is to identify knowledge and perceptions of MAT approaches and barriers/facilitators for implementation and sustained use. Qualitative and quantitative data from providers, clients, and other stakeholders will be collected. Study results will inform future clinical efforts to tailor MAT for high need, low resource American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) populations.

Sandra Radin, PhD will serve as Principal Investigator.Dennis M. Donovan, PhD is a co-investigator, as is Dennis Wendt, PhD, who has been a postdoctoral fellow at ADAI for two years. He collaborate from his new position at McGill University in Montreal. Tribal communities participating in the project include one in an urban setting and one that is reservation-based.

This study is funded via a supplement to the Pacific NW Node of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network. A concept paper for this project influenced NIDA to convene meeting on May 1 with participants from research, tribal communities, and federal agencies to discuss "Future Directions for Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) with American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs)."

The National Council for Behavioral Health is the unifying voice of America’s mental health and addictions treatment organizations. Its annual Awards of Excellence honor the advocates and leaders advancing public policies that support improved quality of and access to care, organizations that promote excellence and build health communities, and the achievements of individuals with mental illnesses and addictions, their family members, and the professionals who care for them.

Dr. Carney, a clinical psychologist and researcher since 1986, is a former Research Scientist at the UW's Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute. She is now Executive Director of Evergreen Treatment Services, a private, nonprofit agency offering medication-assisted treatment for adults with opioid use disorders since 1973. ETS is affiliated with the Pacific NW Node of NIDA's Clinical Trials Network.

The NW Federal Training Center Collaboration and the Seattle STD/HIV Prevention Training Center will present a 1.5 hour webinar on "HIV Prevention in Substance Abuse Treatment Settings," on Wednesday, March 20, from 12:00-1:30 pm, PDT. Presenters are Mary Hatch-Maillette, a Research Scientist at the UW Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, and Aimee Campbell from Columbia University. CE is available for NAADAC and NBCC

The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute is greatly saddened by the death
of our colleague and friend, Don Calsyn, PhD.
Don died at his home on Sunday February 3, 2013.

Don was a Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and a Research Affiliate in the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute. Prior to coming to ADAI in 2004, he directed Outpatient Services at the Addictions Treatment Center of the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System. His work in substance abuse and HIV/AIDS research at the UW and the VA Puget Sound spoke to his passionate commitment to reducing rates of
HIV infection in those struggling with substance use disorders or other risk
behaviors.

A memorial gathering for family, friends, and colleagues on
Sunday, February 10 was filled with laughter and tears. Story after story revealed Don’s generosity
and love of family, and of a life well-lived.

In lieu of flowers, the Calsyn family
asks that any donations be made in Don's name to the Albert and Virginia Calsyn
Scholarship in Gerontology at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, One
University Blvd., 107 Woods Hall, St. Louis, MO 63121; Attention: Maura Wuellner or by calling (314) 516-5666. Named for Don’s parents, the scholarship was
established in memory of his older brother, Robert, a psychologist and gerontologist,
who died just a few months ago.

On January 13, 2013, Ron Jackson, MSW, LICSW will retire as Executive Director of Evergreen Treatment Services after 33 years in that role. He will continue in a part-time role
at ETS, helping with the REACH Program, which includes the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion
(LEAD) Project and with the potential establishment of new clinics. Ron will also retain his faculty
position at the University of Washington's School of Social Work. Over many years, Ron collaborated with UW researchers on numerous projects, most recently on NIDA's National Drug Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) where he represented community treatment programs on the CTN Executive Committee.

Ron's sucessor at ETS is Molly
Carney, PhD. Dr. Carney received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Washington and worked in Alan Marlatt's Addictive Behaviors Research Center before moving to the UW Alcohol
and Drug Abuse Institute. At ADAI, she worked on several studies of addiction treatment, including the NIDA CTN, and also directed the ADAI Data Management Center. She left ADAI in 2006 to complete her MBA at
the UW Foster School of Business in 2007. Last year, Dr. Carney came to work with Ron
at ETS where they've spent the past 18 months together preparing for this
transition.

Researchers from the UW Social Development Research Group, the Univ. of Minnesota School of Nursing, and the Centre for Adolescent Health in Melbourne, Australia found that allowing adolescents to drink alcohol under adult supervision does not appear to teach responsible drinking as teens get older. In fact, such a “harm-minimization” approach may actually lead to more drinking and alcohol-related consequences.

The study compared two approaches toward teen drinking. In one approach, parents allow their adolescent children to consume alcohol in small amounts on occasion if an adult is present. The thinking is that teens will learn to drink responsibly if introduced to alcohol slowly in a controlled environment. This has been the predominant approach in many countries, including Australia.

A second approach is one of “zero tolerance” for youth drinking, meaning that teens should not be allowed to drink alcohol under any circumstances. This less permissive position is predominant in the United States, with local laws and national policies often advocating total abstinence for adolescents.

In addition to the Research Assistant position already posted, 2 part-time positions are available for the same project at Recovery Centers of King County.

Nurse Practitioner or Physician’s Assistant (.3 FTE)

RCKC is advertising an exciting opportunity for an ARNP or PA to assist in the administration of a large NIDA-funded multi-site study investigating the safety and effectiveness of buprenorphine with naltrexone for the treatment of cocaine dependence. This person will be responsible for meeting with study participants during the eight week treatment phase to conduct medical exams and complete other tasks relevant to the study protocol. The Nurse Practitioner or Physician’s Assistant will work in collaboration with the Study Physician, Research Staff, and staff from the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute at the University of Washington in implementing the study protocol. (download full description and application instructions)

Study Physician(.12 FTE)

RCKC is advertising an exciting part-time opportunity for a Study Physician to assist in the administration of a large NIDA-funded multi-site study investigating the safety and effectiveness of buprenorphine with naltrexone for the treatment of cocaine dependence. This person will be responsible for overseeing the clinical care of participants throughout the duration of the study. The Study Physician will work in collaboration with the Investigators, Nurse Practitioner/Physician’s Assistant, Research Staff, and staff from the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute at the University of Washington in implementing the study protocol. (download full description and application instructions)

Recovery Centers of King County is a community treatment program and part of the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network. RCKC is seeking a Research Assistant to assist in the administration of a large NIDA-funded multi-site study investigating the safety and effectiveness of buprenorphine with naltrexone for the treatment of cocaine dependence. The primary purpose of the Research Assistant position is to represent the “front line” of this research and to carry out the day-to-day activities of this study. The Research Assistant will work in collaboration with the Research Coordinator, medical staff, and staff from the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute at the University of Washington in implementing this study protocol.

* For more about this position (and other addiction research jobs in the Seattle area), please see the Employment page on the ADAI website: http://adai.washington.edu/jobs.htm